Teeth grinding and clenching happen while you sleep or while you are concentrating on something, so they are habits that are hard to notice yourself. Your jaw feels tired when you wake up. A family member tells you, "You were grinding your teeth last night." The edge of a tooth has chipped. If things like this keep happening, teeth grinding or clenching may be involved.
At a dental clinic, we make mouthguards (splints) that protect your teeth and jaw, and we also help you review your daytime habits. In this article, Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic in Jinnan, Shibuya answers questions about the signs of teeth grinding and clenching, habits to watch for during the day, how a mouthguard is made and what to keep in mind, and a guide to costs.
Teeth Grinding and Clenching Are Hard to Notice Yourself
Teeth grinding can be divided into rubbing the teeth together with a grinding sound while you sleep, pressing the upper and lower teeth together hard (clenching), and tapping the teeth together in small, quick movements. Habits that make noise are sometimes noticed because a family member points them out, but clenching makes almost no sound, so it often continues without anyone noticing.
If You Notice Any of These Signs, Please Come In for a Consultation
- You feel jaw tiredness or heaviness in your temples when you wake up in the morning
- The tips of your teeth are worn flat, or you have had a tooth chip
- Your teeth have become more sensitive than before
- There are tooth marks on the inside of your cheeks or the edges of your tongue
- Your jaw clicks or hurts when you open your mouth
These can also be caused by things other than teeth grinding. After examining how your teeth are worn and how your jaw moves, we will tell you what seems likely to be involved.
Watch Out for the Daytime Habit of Your Upper and Lower Teeth Touching
Clenching does not happen only while you sleep. When you are working at a computer or looking at your smartphone, are your upper and lower teeth touching the whole time? When you are relaxed, your upper and lower teeth are naturally slightly apart. Even if you are not biting hard, if your teeth stay in contact for a long time, it puts a strain on your jaw muscles and joints. This habit is called TCH (tooth contact habit).
The basic way to review this habit is to separate your teeth every time you notice they are touching. Another method is to put a sticky note somewhere you can see it, such as near your computer, and check each time you see it whether your teeth are touching. At our clinic, we also help you review habits like this.
What We Do at the Dental Clinic: Protect Your Teeth and Jaw with a Mouthguard
You cannot stop teeth grinding during sleep by trying consciously. So at the dental clinic, we have you wear a mouthguard (splint) made to fit each person's teeth when you sleep. The mouthguard takes the force in place of your teeth, so it works to prevent tooth wear and chipping and to ease the strain on your jaw joints and muscles.
However, a mouthguard does not stop teeth grinding itself. It is a tool to protect your teeth and jaw while you are wearing it. We recommend using it together with a review of your daytime habits.
Steps Until Your Mouthguard Is Made
- Examination: We check how your teeth are worn, how your jaw moves, and how you open your mouth.
- Impression: We take an impression of your teeth to make the mouthguard.
- Delivery and adjustment: We place it in your mouth and adjust it while checking that there are no spots that press too hard.
- Follow-up after you start using it: It may stop fitting or become worn as you use it, so we check its condition regularly.
The number of visits and the time until delivery depend on the condition of your mouth. We will explain what to expect at your examination.
Differences from Store-Bought Mouthguards
Mouthguards for teeth grinding are also sold at drugstores and other shops. Most store-bought ones are softened in hot water and shaped to fit, and you cannot finely adjust the thickness, the hardness, or how the bite makes contact. A mouthguard made at a dental clinic is made from an impression of your teeth and adjusted while checking your bite. Continuing to use one that does not fit can put extra force on your jaw, so please talk to us if you are unsure.
What to Know When Using a Mouthguard
- Until you get used to it, your mouth may feel uncomfortable and you may find it hard to sleep.
- In the early days of use, a strange feeling in your bite may remain for a while after you take it out in the morning. If the feeling continues, please talk to us.
- If you do not wash it every day and keep it clean, it can cause odors and dirt.
- It can wear down or crack with use, so it may need to be remade.
If you have strong jaw pain or difficulty opening your mouth, we will consider other methods along with the mouthguard. For jaw problems, please also see our TMJ disorder relief care page.
Guide to Costs
Our clinic offers self-pay (not covered by Japanese health insurance) treatment only and does not provide insurance-covered treatment. Mouthguards are also made as self-pay. The main fees are as follows (tax included, as of October 2026).
- First visit fee: ¥5,500 (includes counseling and basic examination)
- Mouthguard for TMJ disorder and teeth grinding: ¥33,000
- TMJ disorder relief care: ¥16,500
Please check the latest fees on our price list. Please note that at dental clinics that provide insurance-covered treatment, a mouthguard for teeth grinding may be made under insurance in some cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I wear my mouthguard every night?
Teeth grinding and clenching during sleep can happen every night, so we basically recommend wearing it every night. Depending on how your teeth are worn and your symptoms, we may discuss how to wear it with you.
Will teeth grinding be cured if I wear a mouthguard?
A mouthguard does not stop teeth grinding. It is meant to take the force placed on your teeth and jaw and protect them. We will also tell you about other things you can do, such as reviewing your daytime habit of teeth touching.
Can I use a mouthguard for daytime clenching too?
For daytime clenching, the basic approach is first to build the habit of noticing that your upper and lower teeth are touching and separating them. Whether to use a mouthguard during the day as well is something we discuss after looking at your symptoms.
How soon does it need to be remade?
It varies depending on your biting force and how it wears. If you notice a hole, a crack, or that it no longer fits, that is a sign to consider remaking it. When you visit for a cleaning, we can also check the condition of your mouthguard at the same time.
If You Want to Consult About Teeth Grinding and Clenching in Shibuya
Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic is on the 4th floor of the Toyama Building in Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, a 5-minute walk from Shibuya Station (JR and other lines). Our director is Kazuya Shiho, a dentist who graduated from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (now Institute of Science Tokyo). We value care centered on prevention that protects your existing teeth as much as possible, so you can consult us from the stage before tooth wear and chipping progress.
Our hours are 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays (Monday to Friday), by appointment only. On weekends, public holidays, and evenings, we see patients by appointment only on days when a doctor is in. Please check the calendar when booking for details. You can book on the web (accepted 24 hours), and also by LINE or phone (03-5422-3518). If you are concerned about jaw tiredness or tooth wear, please feel free to consult us.
Book online at Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic here
This article was reviewed by Dr. Kazuya Shiho, Director and dentist at Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic.